Track your steps

9/10 of us walk for more than 10-minutes a day... but only half of us walk briskly.

If you're wanting to start being active, a brisk 10-minute walk every day is great way to start. Doing a 10-minute brisk walk every day is a simple and achievable way to add activity into your day - and it can make a big difference to your health. It will get your heart pumping, boost your mood, and lower the risk of serious health issues like Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

With any physical activity it's best to start small and build up from there. Walking apps are a fantastic way to help track your progress for reaching goals and stay motivated to increase the amount of physical activity you do every day. Here are some walking apps and resources to help you track your steps and add more walking to your day:

NHS Active 10

The NHS Active 10 Walking Tracker app takes away the guesswork when it comes to exercise, it shows you exactly how much brisk walking you’re doing and how you can do more. It’s easy to use and helps you set your goals for the day and you can easily track your progress by day, week or month. The Active 10 app is an easy way to improve your health and wellbeing; no gym, no memberships, just you and 10 minutes! Use the Our Dorset app library to find out more and download.

MapMyWalk

The MapMyWalk app allows you to track every walk you go on and gives feedback and stats to improve your performance. You can also discover new workout routes, save and share your favourites and get inspired to reach your new fitness goals with a community of over 40 million athletes. Whether you’re a beginner on your first long walk or you are a pro, you’ll find all the features and tools you will need to stay on track and keep motivated along the way. Get started and sign up.

The 12-week PACE-Up programme

Moving Medicine’s PACE-Up is a 12-week programme to help you increase your walking. You can measure your progress and steadily increase your steps each week by using the handbook. This comes with a structured approach and a diary to record the number of steps you do each day. The aim is to be walking an extra 3000 steps or an extra 30 minutes of walking most days of the week - and it doesn't matter what level you start from. Print the 12-week PACE-Up programme.

Strava

The Strava app is free to join! It lets you record over 30 types of activities - a home for all your movement. It also includes features to help you explore, connect, and measure your progress. The app suggests challenges to join, which is a fantastic motivator to keep active.

Strava records your walks in the background, allowing you to walk freely while listening to music, making a call or taking pictures. You can check your progress at any time on the app and pause if you're taking a break. Download Strava now.

EXI - Exercise Prescription

This app is designed to help people at risk of or with chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes. Once you've downloaded the app, created an account and filled in your medical screening, you'll get a physical activity plan prescribed to fit your needs and health conditions.

The app sets the intensity level and duration each week and you choose what physical activity you want to do to complete your weekly goals. Visit the Our Dorset app library to find out more and download.

World Walking

This is a great app for finding new walks! You can also use it to build on your current progress of existing walks. It has a group feature where you can become a part of a group whether that's local or far away and chat and share pictures of your walks.

The World Walking app gives you goals to aim for and promotes a sense of purpose and community; it helps you find fun in fitness and reap the benefits from moving more. Use the Our Dorset app library to find out more and download.

Get tracking and mapping - let your walking adventure begin!

Looking for more ways to get active?

Register with LiveWell to receive free support to get more active - we'll help you discover a healthier and happier you. Register or contact us today.

How does this work?

The tailored approach LiveWell Dorset uses to come up with solutions to the things that are stopping us achieving our goals, is based upon work done by University College London developing the COM-B model of behaviour change. In this model, all behaviour is influenced by understanding a person’s capability to change, their opportunity to change and their motivation to change. By understanding which of these is the biggest barrier to change, we can tailor support accordingly. This model of behaviour change is at the centre of the support we offer, online and in person.

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